Veterans Returning to the States May Be at High Risk of Car Accidents

When soldiers return from serving overseas, they need to take care as they readjust to civilian life. The U.S Department of Veterans Affairs reports car accidents are the leading cause of death for veterans in the first few years following their return home. When soldiers are driving vehicles on the battleground, the tactics they use behind the wheel are much different than those needed to drive at home, but it can be difficult for some to adjust the the change, according to Fox News.

"It was a complete culture shock coming from the military back to Houston," former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant Bryan Escobedo told the news source. "For a long time, when I was driving on the highway, I always thought that there was IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. Anything that I saw on the side of the road, I'd swerve all the way."

Many veterans and active-duty soldiers on leave have had similar problems behind the wheel. USAA, a military insurer, told Fox there is about a 13 percent risk of car accidents among post-deployment troops who returned home, and that risk was as high as 36 percent for those who had served three or more tours of duty overseas. However, the odds of getting into a crash drop significantly after about six months of being stateside, the news source indicates.

Returning soldiers looking to purchase used cars in New Jersey can head to NJ State Auto Auction, which carries a wide variety of vehicles. Whether veterans would feel more comfortable in a used Hummer or they want a smaller vehicle, NJ Auto is sure to have the right vehicle to fit the bill.